Specifics on the injury remain elusive. Brady was involved in what one source described as a “minor collision” in Wednesday’s practice, and the play was a handoff. The specifics of the injury, however, remain unknown.

The situation can be managed. A source said Brady’s right hand “should be OK” for Sunday’s game, while another said it is possible it could affect him slightly. Brady is moving forward with the belief that he will be able to manage the injury and carry out his role effectively.

The Patriots haven’t moved for a third quarterback. The Patriots have just Brady and Brian Hoyer as quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. There is no quarterback on the practice squad. Since Wednesday, when Brady injured his right hand, the club has not made a move to bring another quarterback in. That could be perceived as a sign that they don’t view Brady’s availability as being in doubt.

Missing practice is significant. Thursday was an important practice for the team, in part because it was held in full pads. Teams have limited opportunities to work in full pads, and the Patriots, among other things, focus on tempo and timing/execution in the passing game in those sessions. With Brady not present, it highlights how his right hand injury isn’t something to dismiss. About a month ago, when Brady returned to a full week of practice after having missed sessions in prior weeks, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about how much his absences affect the team. “Well, it’s always good to have everybody practice to get their preparation and to get it with their teammates. So that’s how you build team execution, is from team practice,” he said at the time. “The more of that we can do, the better. It’s not always possible. We do the best we can. Every team in the league deals with the same thing. It’s not a unique problem here or anywhere else, so we just do the best that we can with it.”